Despite being new, this dining hall is very similar to the one back at old Atricis, giving a familiarity to the new Weyr. It is one large, central cavern carved out from the side of the cliff with many tables of varying sizes and seat numbers. The kitchens are attached, and there is a set of stairs leading down into the lower caverns.

Ever since the loss of her sister, Amuderudalya lived with the keen awareness of her absence in every moment of every day. She heard it in the still nights when once Midoca's weighted breaths hummed in her repose. During the night, when Amuderudalya was at her most lonely, the fair woman reached her mind out to her sister, hoping to feel those wisps of peace that often omitted from Midoca as she slept. Instead, she felt nothing. When she arose in the morning, the chair where Midoca read her book was unnaturally vacant. At the arm rest was a text she had only partially completed; the bookmark that protruded along the head of the book showed her sister had progressed through two thirds of the book. Amuderudalya finished the task for her three days after her death, and read the text, but reason returned to her, reminding her that even if she finished the text, Midoca never would.

A stack of folded tunics had become stale upon the bedside table. Midoca normally put them away, but she could not be bothered that final night when her heart beat and lungs filled with just enough breath for her to collapse into bed with an exhausted sigh. Every day, Amuderudalya returned to her room and stared at the pile. She would never have the heart to put away the attire, for in doing so, she knew it would be that final act that confirmed the fact Amuderudalya longed to deny: Midoca was dead.

During her darkest hour, four days after Midoca's death, Theria found her sister curled in on herself in their sister's bed, with her fancy flit, Croquembouche nuzzled in her arms. Despite her flit's attempts, black thoughts continually penetrated the younger woman's mind, pitch as the void she dreaded. But Theria stayed strong for them both, and rocked Amuderudalya to sleep that night. They mourned their loss together the following day Theria, Evora, Inez, Amuderudalya, and Irali watched as the bodies of the dead were taken between by their father, Mul'rec. Midoca, Estella, and Theria's weyrmate Jesuinn. All dead. For them, the remaining sisters would have to live.

***

The day Amuderudalya left Benden, she paid one last glance to the stack of folded clothing stagnant upon that bedside table. As her final act, Amuderudalya folded those clothing. All the while, Croquembouche watched from the bedside, churring in support for his friend.

Mounted behind Theria with Siligath eager to depart, Amuderudalya paid one last glance to the weyr she once called home, and said goodbye to it one last time. Theria's green called out, and Ostellith answered, and together, green and blue shot into the skies, and slipped between to Atricis.

The days to follow were chaos for Amuderudalya. The Headmaster situated the woman into her new home, a space just big enough for Amuderudalya and her starburst prized pet. It would be the first time Amuderudalya ever resided in a home by herself. At night, it felt all too dark and lonely to her, even worse than those final weeks in Benden. She often lost sleep, tossing and turning in her hard bed. After an hour or so, she would give up and find herself wandering away from her hollow quarters to brew herself a cup of chamomile tea in the dead of night.

Even after four days, the insomnia refused to abate. Tossing once more in the dead of night, Amuderudalya threw the sheets off of her and found a fresh set of clothing, a long skirt, and a tunic that hardly matched. She cared not as she wandered out of the room, padding down the corridors with Cromquembouche trailing behind her. As a cook, she slipped into the kitchen with ease, and found what she required for a cup of her much needed brew. Not long after, she wandered into the dimly lit dining hall and settled at a table in a daze. Things appeared so much darker than they did in the day, though the cook suspected that had something to due with the fact the night whers and their handlers were out now. Several sat at their tables for a lunch break, but Amuderudalya sought reprieve from the waking world, wanting nothing more than to go back to sleep.

Middle of the night and yet it was a rest day for Ferghas and Fersk. The sunset wher had decided to spend the night playing in the lake with others before slipping off to take a nap. It wouldn't be long until she would run again, but he had time to worry about that later. Right now he was far more interested in enjoying some whisky and card games in the dining hall. Not the sort of card games like poker, but the sort that was slight of hand tricks.

It was never hard for him to lure in a few unsuspecting people that enjoyed playing. Ferghas wasn't dumb though, he would always allow those that played to suggest they gamble on the outcome. Therefore when he swindled them out of a few marks it was never suspected as the culprit. Losing a few times also helped, however, he always made sure that he won enough marks to buy the top shelf glasses of liquor.

He was just running low on drink and had lost his last players due to disinterest, but he managed to get enough marks to buy another drink. Ferghas knew it was a bit silly, but he was rather fond of disguises. It amused him to know that he was a crime lord and yet he still did petty things like card tricks for marks. He got up to get that other drink when someone caught his attention. While her beauty was striking, it was her state that caught his attention.

Ferghas picked up his almost empty glass and headed to the bar. He headed to the bar and ordered himself another whisky and fine glass of wine. It was bold, but Ferghas was never one to not be. He approached the table, trying to not startle her. "Here, you look like you needed something stiffer than a cup of klah. Don't worry...I'm not here to bother. Simply offering a fine glass of wine to a soul who looks they need it." His multi-toned accent didn't convey an origin as he spoke kindly. Sometimes he...okay, most of the time...he was quick with whatever charm he possessed, but something told him not this time.

The brew in particular was tea rather than klah... and a calming one at that: chamomile with a tease of red fruit. She sipped at it with the hopes it might ease her frayed nerves and let her sleep. The tug of exhaustion wore at her mind, begging her to return to bed, but her eyes still would not allow for it, not yet. The beats of her heart also refused her, leaving the cook to sigh and sip for from her mug.

"Here, you look like you needed something stiffer than a cup of klah. Don't worry...I'm not here to bother. Simply offering a fine glass of wine to a soul who looks they need it."

The skin about her eyes were dark with the urgency of sleep, yet regard the man she did, as well as his offer. A tired half smile was offered. "Thank you," she replied, and did not hesitate to trade her drink for the one he gave her. Though wine might not allow for the most restful of sleep, it did would help her to close her eyes and drift off, and Amuderudalya was desperate enough to take at least some sleep than none at all.

After a sip, she looked back to regard the older gentleman. "It tastes very nice, though you know you didn't have to." Still, she was not about to turn him away After nights of loneliness and restlessness, the cook could do with a bit of company. "You a wherhandler here?" she asked the obvious, yet felt the need to confirm it nonetheless. It was not often she got to encounter one.

Ferghas gave her a slight bow, "You're welcome." He was pleased to see that she was going to enjoy the glass he gave her, though he would not have been offended if she hadn't.

"It tastes very nice, though you know you didn't have to. You a wherhandler here?"

He had been about ready to turn and return to his seat, true to his word that he did not wish to bother her, but her comments stayed his feet. A sideways smile was given to her, "No one has to do anything, we choose to, but I am glad the vintage meets with your satisfaction" He gave her a deeper bow then before he introduced himself. "Aye, that I am. I am Ferghas, handler to Sunset Fersk." He didn't take a seat yet as he'd yet been invited to. Criminal mastermind, yes, a man who knew manners, also yes.

"May I ask to whom I have the pleasure of supplying a glass of wine to?" He asked in return.

He was right. She could have said no, and for a flicker of a thought, she nearly did, but the immediacy of sleep remained far more important than the quality of it. Thus sip she did, hoping for liquid to warm her mind enough to let it lull.

"Aye, that I am. I am Ferghas, handler to Sunset Fersk."

"It is good to meet you Ferghas," she replied with gentle smile, though it failed to bring any true life to the morose and exhausted woman.

"May I ask to whom I have the pleasure of supplying a glass of wine to?"

A soft chuckle escaped her. "Amuderudalya. I'm a cook down in the kitchens," she answered, only to gesture at the seat across from her. "Please feel free to join me, though my apologies. I might not be the best company. I've only recently moved to Atricis, and it seems my sleep has not yet adjusted." It was easier to blame her transfer for her insomnia, rather than the fact she had lost her sisters. "I honestly have no idea how anyone can be awake at this hour, handler or not."

Dazed by sleep depravation, Amuderudalya's mind reached out in a casual fashion, feeling the bits and pieces of emotion around her, but not paying attention to the source of it. With a sigh, she leaned her cheek against the heel of her hand as a hand settled upon the head of Croquembouche in her lap. Idly, her fingers played with the tuff of feathers on the top of her 'lizard's head.

He gave her a deeper bow then and smiled a little wider. "The pleasure is all mine. I assure you." He noted the dull look in her eyes, something that spoke more than just the sleep that was eluding her.

"Amuderudalya. I'm a cook down in the kitchens. Please feel free to join me, though my apologies. I might not be the best company. I've only recently moved to Atricis, and it seems my sleep has not yet adjusted."

"Thank you, m'lady Amuderudalya. It would be an honor to join you." Ferghas said as he managed to say her name correctly the first time. "No need to apologize. Moving is a stressful ordeal, you have every right to not have to worry about table manners while just having finished the process of turning your life upside down." He said as he took a seat at her table. The glass in his hand was sipped from before he sat it down in front of him.

"I honestly have no idea how anyone can be awake at this hour, handler or not."

Ferghas gave a chuckle. "It takes some time, but eventually you get used to it. I've always been more of a night owl anyway, so it wasn't as hard for me to adjust as some others. I remember when I was first switching my schedules around. It was miserable at first. Just as I can tell you're rather miserable right now. I wish there was something I could do to help more." He explained as he pulled out his deck of cards to fiddle with in his hands.